CHAPTER 2:
THE NATURE AND EXTENT OF DELINQUENCY
MEASURING DELINQUENCY WITH THE UNIFORM CRIME REPORTS
LO1.
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The number of crimes reported to the police and arrests made – raw data
Crime rates per 100,000 people are calculated:
Changes in the number and rate of crimes over time
UNIFORM CRIME REPORT
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FIGURE 2.1 PERCENT OF CRIMES CLEARED BY ARREST OR EXCEPTIONAL MEANS
VALIDITY OF THE UCR
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MEASURING DELINQUENCY WITH
SURVEY RESEARCH
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THE NCVS SURVEY
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VALIDITY OF THE NCVS
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SELF-REPORT SURVEYS
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VALIDITY OF SELF-REPORTS
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EVALUATING PRIMARY DATA SOURCES
LO1.
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ALTERNATIVE MEASURES OF DELINQUENT BEHAVIOR
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CRIME TRENDS IN THE U.S
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CRIME TRENDS IN THE U.S
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SHAPING TEEN CRIME TRENDS
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What the Future Holds…
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AGE AND DELINQUENCY
LO3.
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CORRELATES OF DELINQUENCY
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CORRELATES OF DELINQUENCY
LO3.
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Trayvon Martin Case – Current Example
Trayvon Martin, an African American 17 year old, was killed by George Zimmerman, a Neighborhood watchman in Sanford, Florida in February 2012. Martin was killed while visiting his father in a gated Sanford housing development. Zimmerman was initially freed by the police after saying he shot Martin in self defense. Zimmerman was later charged with second-degree murder. He is awaiting trial.
Do you believe Trayvon was killed due to his race?
Do you think the events would have been different had Trayvon been white?
What do you believe can be done to improve the racial relationship in your own neighborhood?
What can be done to prevent this from happening in the future?
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SOCIAL CLASS AND DELINQUENCY
LO3.
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Growing older means having to face the future
With maturity comes ability to resist the “quick fix” to problems
Maturation coincides with increased levels of responsibility
Personalities can change with age
Young adults become more aware of the risks that accompany crime
Change in human biology
WHY DOES CRIME DECLINE WITH AGE?
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Jordan Brown’s Case – Current Example
Jordan Brown shot and killed his 8 ½ month pregnant future stepmom while she was asleep in 2009. Brown, who was 11 years old at the time of killing, was convicted as “delinquent” in juvenile court, the equivalent of “guilty” in adult court. Brown will be held at the facility and evaluated every 6 months to determine if he should be released.
In your opinion, why do some young people kill?
Is there anything we can do as a society to prevent young people from committing violent acts, such as murder?
When a child does commit an act this violent, how should they be punished?
Do you agree with how Jordan Brown as handled?
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CHRONIC OFFENDING
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FIGURE 2.2 DISTRIBUTION OF OFFENSES IN THE PHILADELPHIA COHORT
The seriousness of the original offense
The severity of punishment
DELINQUENCY IN A BIRTH COHORT
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Involvement in criminal activity
Low intellectual development
Parental drug use
Problems in learning & motor skills, cognitive abilities, family relation
Alcohol abuse, economically dependent, lower aspirations, a weak employment record
STABILITY IN CRIME: FROM
DELINQUENT TO CRIMINAL
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Programs for chronic youth offenders – current example
Based on a three-year project initiated in 2006 by the Canadian Research Institute for Law and the Family (CRILF), the most effective intervention programs for chronic and persistent youth offenders are the ones that include the following five major domains: individual, family, peer, school, and community.
Can you explain why these domains are critical to chronic and persistent youth offenders?
Why do you think they work?
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JUVENILE VICTIMIZATION
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THE VICTIMS AND THEIR CRIMINALS
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Three major methods of measuring juvenile delinquency:
UCR
NCVS
Self-reported
Recent trends in the delinquency rate
List and discuss the social correlates of delinquency
The concept of the chronic offender
Teenagers are much more likely to become victims of crime
SUMMARY
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